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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Sorry for a double post today but it has come to my attention that Google Friend Connect (GFC) will be discontinued for all NON-BLOGGER FOLLOWERS as of March 1, 2012. To read the entire announcement, please visit this page on Google. To recap, we’re in the process of shutting a number of products which haven’t had the impact we’d hoped for, integrating others as features into our broader product efforts, and ending several which have shown us a different path forward. Overall, our aim is to build a simpler, more intuitive, truly beautiful Google user experience. In terms of the details, here is the latest update:

Google Friend Connect—Friend Connect allows webmasters to add social features to their sites by embedding a few snippets of code. We're retiring the service for all non-Blogger sites on March 1, 2012. We encourage affected sites to create a Google+ page and place a Google+ badge on their site so they can bring their community of followers to Google+ and use new features like Circles and Hangouts to keep in touch.

How to Follow My Blog

So, what exactly does this mean? Well, if you do not have a Blogger Account, you will no longer be able to follow my blog under the section called Follow My Blog (ex. Wordpress users). You can; however follow my blog in several other ways. Simply pick the one that you prefer best!

1. Follow by Email: Simply enter your email address into the box and after Feedburner acknowledges that you are a "real person" by verifying your address, you will receive an email directly into your inbox every time I create a new post.

2. RSS Feed/Email: Click on the RSS Feed/Email link next to the "orange" button and it will also take you to Feedburner so that you can subscribe

3. Twitter: You can find me at https://twitter.com/#!/CarriesExpKtchn or simply click on the link next to the "t" that says "Follow us on Twitter". You must have a Twitter account in order to follow me.

6. Google+: This is the newest way to follow on Google and you can find my page at https://plus.google.com/109284377485236140357 or click on the "g+" icon and it will take you there. I'm still feeling my way around this one but hopefully it will grow with time.

7. Scan my blog with your SmartPhone: I explained this here in an earlier post today.

I hope this helps, I would certainly hate to lose any of you! If you have any questions, please email me at carrieexpktchn@optonline.net

New Blog Design

I inadvertently tried a new blog design to see what the new features were and it would not allow me to revert back to my original layout (even after I saved my template). So, I created this one instead. I hope you like it, I think it's a lot "cleaner" looking personally. I tried to keep everything in it's same location so as not to confuse you too much. Let me know your thoughts below!

Book Update

I just received the revisions from the publisher. They have some great suggestions but I have a bit of work to do to make it PERFECT! I'll try to continue with my daily posts and Facebook updates but forgive me ahead of time if I'm a little absent over the next week or so.

Lastly, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for reading my blog. I truly appreciate you tuning in each day! <3

Happy Birthday to all of you Leap Year Babies! I came across what looked like a grapefruit on my recent produce shopping trip and had to pick one up. It was actually a pomelo which is a citrus fruit from Southeast Asia. According to Wikipedia, it is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white (or, more rarely, pink or red) flesh and very thick rind. It tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit (which is a hybrid of the pomelo and the orange), though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit. It has very little, or none, of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the enveloping membranous material around the segments is bitter, considered inedible, and thus usually is discarded. The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade, or is candied and sometimes dipped in chocolate. The peel of the pomelo is also used in Chinese cooking. In general, citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavoring, especially in sweet soup desserts.
I decided to make a sauce with it and came up with this one. It was very light, not overly citrusy but gave the dish a nice flavor.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Good morning everyone, I'm back! I was in Orlando for my daughters' school cheer competition (where they took 3rd place) for the last 5 days. And even though it was a short trip, we did cram a lot in while we were there besides the competition. We got to visit with my Mom, visited the Magic Kingdom, Downtown Disney, Epcot and breakfast with Mickey and friends. I found some wonderful new flavored salts, herbs and rices I can't wait to experiment with too like Raspberry and Lime Frost Sea Salt, Purple Sticky and Bamboo Green rices, and Feta cheese and Indian Curry powders. Thank you once again to my Guest Bloggers, Bia Rich, Mia Reiter and Lauren Kelly for filling in while I was away. If anyone else is interested in being a Guest Blogger in the future, simply email me at carrieexpktchn@optonline.net. And now for today's recipe....During one of my recent trips to the store, I found these new flavored tortilla chips made with olives, garlic and sea salt by Food Should Taste Good. I decided that a nice hummus would go nice with them rather than my normal salsa, but didn't have any chick peas, so I made this quick dip with black beans and kalamata olives. It was fantastic, filling and healthy to boot!

Black Bean & Kalamata Olive Hummus1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained1 Clove Garlic, chopped2 Scallions, chopped1 dz. Kalamata Olives, pitted1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive OilAdd the first four ingredients into a food processor and pulse until all ingredients have been mixed together. Next, add the oil and pulse again until the mixture is a paste-like consistency. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 4.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Good morning everyone! Today I'm honored to have Lauren Kelly from Lauren Kelly Nutrition here to share one of her recipes with us.

I "met" Lauren several months ago on Facebook and just love her attitude towards life and all around well-being. I look forward to her updates to see what I will learn each day. Lauren is married with three children, has been a Certified Nutritionist for 8 years and recently became Staff Nutritionist at The Bar Method (in Montclair, NJ for all of my fellow NJ peeps). She is dedicated to an authentic and realistic method to achieving optimal health. Lauren will provide nutritional consulting for the following but not limited to: weight loss, disease prevention, reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling blood sugar, vegetarian diet, heart health, weight gain, eating disorders, increase energy, gluten intolerance, food allergies and sensitivities and overall improved lifestyle.

Remove casings from sausages and crumble filling into a large oven-safe nonstick pan on medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally. After about 5 to 7 minutes, when sausage is golden brown in color and almost cooked through, add bell pepper, tomatoes and mushrooms. Continue to sauté until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat as low as possible (or remove from stove if using a gas range). In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with mustard, garlic powder, salt and black pepper using a whisk or handheld mixer. (Don't overdo it and make a meringue; simply incorporate flavors with eggs and lighten them up a bit.)

Distribute bread evenly over sausage-mushroom mixture, if desired. Then pour egg white mixture evenly over top. Increase heat to medium-low or medium (return pan to heat, if removed). Sprinkle cheese over top. Once egg whites start to set and turn opaque, transfer pan to oven.

Bake until cheese browns and bubbles, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate to slice and serve.

This frittata has 2 servings. One serving only has 232 calories, 6 grams of total fat, 2 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein. Healthy AND delicious! ENJOY!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Today I'm honored to have Mia Reiter from Mia's Domain here to share one of her recipes with us today. Mia resides in TX with her husband and daughter and was also one of my first foodie friends. Her recipes and photography inspire me each day. Please join me in welcoming Mia as our Guest Blogger today!

As a young girl I frequently visited my beloved grandma who lived in a small village, in an even smaller home. Out of a tiny kitchen with no refrigerator and an old, makeshift, outdoor stove, she enjoyed cooking everything from scratch, with lots of love. She had her own vegetable garden, raised her own animals, and was VERY resourceful! If there was one lesson I learned from her, it was that in order to create great tasting dishes you don't have to have much…and her food was always gourmet! I've long since traveled extensively with my own family, sampling a wide variety of unique foods from around the world, but my inspiration, passion, and LOVE for food STILL comes from Grandma. I try to buy everything from local farms when possible, use mostly fresh, organic ingredients, and prefer to experiment, making everything from scratch. That doesn’t always result in the best outcome – but I believe the journey is well worth the effort! I'm not a professional chef, nor do I claim to be a photographer. I am simply sharing my joy of food with you.

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a small pot of hot water on a low heat. Line a 10 by 10 inch cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour melted chocolate over and spread a even layer over the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with walnut, raspberries and orange zest and refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Cut bark into 3 inch square pieces to serve.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Welcome to Week 7 of Seafood Frenzy Friday where I select seafood recipes around 'foodie land' to showcase for all of you since I don't eat any fish myself. If you were one of the featured bloggers, feel free to come back and grab the "I was featured on Seafood Frenzy Friday" button on the right hand side of the page.

Today I have ten new recipes for you to try. Simply click on the name of the recipe underneath the picture to be taken to the author's original post. Enjoy!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Good morning everyone! I won't be able to create any new posts for the next few days as my daughter is competing in a National Cheering Competition. So, instead of me, I've enlisted the help of some of my foodie friends to share some of their recipes with you.

Thursday-Bia Rich from Rich and Sweet

Friday-Week 7: Seafood Frenzy Friday

Saturday-Mia Reiter from Mia's Domain

Sunday-No new post today

Monday-Lauren Kelly from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

So let's get started...

Today I'm honored to have Bia Rich from Rich and Sweet here to share one of her recipes with us today. Bia was one of my first foodie friends on Facebook after she found me and invited me to take part in her Tour of Italy blog hop. She was born and raised in Brazil, lived and worked in NYC for many years in the food service industry and now resides in NC with her hubby and son. Oh and she loves red wine as much as I do! :)

So please join me in welcoming Bia today as our Guest Blogger!

My name is Bia Rich and food is my passion!!! Our bodies need food to survive... good food that is... food that is cooked from scratch with love! That's who i am and how i cook! I love to entertain. I love wine. But more than anything, I love food!

It was valentine's day and my valentine was on a business trip. My girlfriend called and informed me that her hubby was also on a business trip and we should get together and have some wine and watch romantic comedies. But of course, we had to add a meal to the package. I ran to the butcher shop right before they closed and picked up 2 fillets, and got home searching for a good side to go with. Had fennel in my crisper and thought it would go together perfectly, and it did! Who doesn't love fennel? We had this meal with toast points and spinach which was wilted by sitting under the hot steak and wine reduction, and ate on my coffee table while watching a movie and siting in front of the fire.

Pan Seared Fillet, Red Wine Reduction, Roasted Fennel and Shallots served on a bed of Spinach: For two

2 8oz-1 inch thick fillet mignon

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large bulb of fennel, cut into wedges

2 large shallots, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

2 cups dry red wine

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

2 cups spinach

Toast points to serve

Preheat oven to 400F. Remove fillets from fridge to bring to room temperature. Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Place fennel and shallots in a baking sheet. Brush veggies with oil mixture and roast for 20 minutes. With a large spatula, flip the veggies and roast another 20 minutes until caramelized. Remove from oven and let it rest. Rub fillets with a little salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. When very hot, add fillets. It's a little messy, so use a grease splatter screen if you have one. For medium rare, cook on medium high for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. With a pair of metal thongs, remove grease splatter screen and fry steak on all sides, wearing kitchen mittens is a good idea, so the grease doesn't burn you. Remove steaks from pan, and let them rest for a few minutes on a cutting board. Keep cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add wine, whisk in all the burn and fat bits. Reduce wine by half. Add butter and fresh thyme and whisk until absorbed.Slice steaks into somewhat thin slices. I used a large square platter. Lay spinach on bottom of platter and place toast points all around it. Next lay roasted fennel and shallots and place steak in the middle. Pour hot wine reduction all over it and serve immediately.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Once again, during my weekly produce run, I came across these purple sweet potatoes they had labeled as Yama. I had to research them as I had never heard of them before. Most types of Japanese sweet potatoes are much less watery than the Western ones and their taste is often compared to that of chestnuts. They also vary in colour D yellow, orange, pink and even purple.The ones I purchased were purple on the outside and white on the inside. I decided to try to experiment with these over one weekend and decided to make home fries with them. My hubby instantly knew they weren't regular russet potatoes but loved the flavor that these potatoes had. In fact, we both preferred the home fries made with these potatoes better. They had a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and were absolutely incredible!

Peel potatoes, rinse then slice into 1/4" rounds. Place in a pot, cover with water then allow to soften; approximately 15-20 minutes. Heat oil in a large frying pan then add onions. Drain potatoes, pat dry then add to the pan. Allow to brown on each side. (We like ours well done so it took about 20 minutes to get a nice color on them). Serves 2. Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I love having this blog and connecting with so many wonderful people on a daily basis. I recently was introduced to a company called Garlic Head that produces their own line of BBQ sauces. They asked me if I would like to try a sample and I quickly agreed...anything with the title of garlic in it has got to be good!

K and L Products is a family operated business resulting from recipes they have offered to friends, relatives and guests for 35 years. Their first product offerings were Garlic Head BBQ Sauce, which is a recipe our founder, Keith Baker, began making over 35 years ago to put on chicken for the grill. Folks have raved about it ever since, asked for more, and often remarked, “You oughtta bottle this stuff!” and they finally got around to it. They use high quality ingredients in small batches to ensure consistency in their flavor. This is not the cheapest way to produce BBQ Sauce. But then, did you want the cheapest, or the best? Being small and independent means they can offer products that are not available elsewhere. We can decide on what ingredients to include and we control our quality with personal care and involvement.

I was so excited when it came in the mail last week that I had to open it right away and take a taste..right there, with a spoon. Their barbecue sauce was AMAZING! It's thick, like a paste, not thin like most sauces you get. It was garlicky but not overpowering (at least not for me!) and it didn't have that smokey flavor most sauces have(which was even better as I'm not a big fan of the typical bbq smokey flavor). Even though I only made a burger with it so far, I couldn't wait to share it with you and I'm looking forward to experimenting with it some more. They currently sell two types: Gold and Spicy.

In a small saute pan, melt butter and add mushrooms and scallions. Saute until the mushrooms have softened. Add the mushroom mixture to a bowl, then add the ground beef and barbecue sauce. Mix well until well blended. Form four patties and grill to desired doneness. Just before the meat is finished, add a slice of cheese until melted. Place on a hard roll, add extra barbecue sauce to the bread and any toppings you wish. Serves 4.

Thank you Garlic Head and I can't wait to experiment some more to see what I can come up with! If anyone is interested in ordering online, click HERE to visit their website.

Monday, February 20, 2012

I wanted to make a different type of salad using the rest of the turkey I had left. And since it was Sunday and I needed some ideas for lunches the next day, turkey salad it was. There is only one mayo I serve in this house and for us, it's Hellmann's or nothing! I've tried the other brands and they're too "salad dressing" like. I also use the regular brand, not the light. We don't eat a lot of mayonnaise so if I am going to make a salad with one, I'm going to use the real deal. This salad was delicious with the sun dried tomatoes and rosemary but my hubby still likes the version with the cranberries and walnuts the best. You know what they say "Variety is the spice of life" and he certainly can't complain our meals are boring or monotonous! :)

For those of you on the West Coast, Hellmann's is the same as Best Foods. According to this recent article by the Huffington Post, Best Foods bought Hellmann's in 1932 and didn't want to lose customers by changing brand names. Rather, they kept the independent names and just made both logos look the same. They also have the same advertisements and slogans. The company claims that the two mayonnaise products are identical, and the ingredients lists are exactly the same. A Best Foods representative did state that Best Foods mayonnaise and Hellman's mayonnaise are "the same great product" with ingredients sourced from the same location.

On another note, I found an article from the Mayo Clinic on some other uses for mayonnaise. Click here to read the full article in more detail! 1. Polishing ivory piano keys2. Conditioning dry, brittle hair3. Exfoliating your skin4. Cleaning up crayon marks (Gee, I wish I knew this one a few years ago!)5. Strengthening fingernails6. Removing tar, sap and sticker residue7. Restoring wood furniture8. Removing rings left on furniture by wet/damp glasses9. Polishing houseplant leaves

Sunday, February 19, 2012

When my children were little one of their favorite comfort foods was buttered pastina. They love this whether they are sick or they've just come in from the cold after sleigh riding in the yard. It doesn't matter. I almost didn't post this recipe but then remembered that my nieces used to ask me to make this for them when they were sick as well and I remember one of them being shocked at how easy it was to make. My oldest daughter wasn't feeling well a few weeks ago and when I picked her up from school early, all she wanted was pastina to make her feel better. The directions on the box are to make it like any other pasta and discard the water. I like to add the bouillon to give it some flavor and have the liquid evaporate into all of the pasta. Then add a little butter to make it creamy. It only takes about 10 minutes to make and hours worth of smiles. :)

Saturday, February 18, 2012

I was fortunate enough to have Moore's Original Marinadecontact me recently to see if I would be interested in trying out some of their products and I quickly agreed after seeing the wonderful flavors they carry. Moore's Original Marinade was introduced forty years ago at a local steakhouse in a small town called Jasper, Alabama (just north of Birmingham). Their original unique hickory flavor marinade was so well received, that they launched other flavors such as Teriyaki Marinade, Buffalo Wing Sauce, Honey BBQ Wing, and the Asian Teriyaki Sauce. All Moore's flavors are gluten free except for the Asian Teriyaki Sauce. Moore's can be found in supermarkets across the United States and their marinades are available in 16 oz. bottles and gallon sizes. They pride themselves on using a family recipe that is made with the highest quality ingredients around that enhance food flavors instead of covering them.

So when I received the package last weekend, I couldn't wait to get started! The hubby and kids wanted to try the Buffalo Wing Sauce and the Honey BBQ Wing Sauce so I made a small batch of each type and both were FANTASTIC! You can control the "heat" by simply adding a little butter to the sauce after the wings are cooked, which worked out perfectly since I don't like things too spicy. I also baked the wings first, instead of frying them and they were still crispy and delicious without all of those extra calories you get from frying.

Next, I was about to post about the wings but thought, why not create something a little different to share with you also so that it showcases just how good this product was. So I created this pasta, which has all of the elements of a classic Buffalo wing with a little twist.

Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, place your chicken on a heated indoor grill pan and grill both sides until cooked through, then slice diagonally. Add the cooked pasta to a bowl, then add in the chicken, Moore's Buffalo Wing Sauce, and Marie's dressing. Mix well and serve. Serves 4.

Here are the pictures of the wings!

Thank you Moore's Marinade and I can't wait to experiment with the rest of the flavors to see what I can come up with! If anyone is interested in ordering online, click HERE or visit their website for other great cooking tips, helpful grill hints and nutritional information.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Welcome to Week 6 of Seafood Frenzy Friday where I select seafood recipes around 'foodie land' to showcase for all of you since I don't eat any fish myself. If you were one of the featured bloggers, feel free to come back and grab the "I was featured on Seafood Frenzy Friday" button on the right hand side of the page.

Did you know that the most widely eaten fish is Herring? According to Wikipedia, herring has been a staple food source since at least 3000 B.C. There are numerous ways the fish is served and many regional recipes: eaten raw, fermented, cured by other techniques or pickled.

Today I have ten new recipes for you to try. Simply click on the name of the recipe underneath the picture to be taken to the author's original post. Enjoy!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Growing up, pot pie was one of those frozen "staples" we always used to have in the house. It was quick to make on those busy nights when Mom was working late and it was always a hit with my sister and I. It wasn't until I was married that I attempted to make a pot pie on my own. Once I realized how EASY it was, I never went back. It's the perfect use for leftover turkey (or chicken or beef for that matter!). Just cut up your meat and add some veggies (I use frozen if I have them). For this one in particular, I had made one of those Butterball Turkey Breast roasts and after making it, no one was really hungry. So that left me with quite a bit of turkey left. This hit the spot on a cold night after all of our schedules had us in different places. It's the perfect make ahead meal that heats up nicely.

Line pie plate with one of the pie crusts. In a large, non stick frying pan, heat the oil and add in the turkey, onion, carrots, corn, peas and thyme. Saute until the onions become translucent then add the flour. Add the wine and chicken broth and mix well forming a creamy filling for the pot pie. Pour into the crust lined pie plate, then top with the remaining pie crust. Fork the edges to help seal the dough. Place on a baking sheet (to avoid any spillage) and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown. Serves 4.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I can honestly say one of the best things about having this blog (and there are many!) is the many other styles of cooking I get to see each and every day. Each of them are talented in their own rite and I love learning about new products and styles of cooking. For example, I've heard of Grapeseed oil before, but I never used it personally until I heard it mentioned on a fellow bloggers Facebook page, Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist. According to Lauren, Grapeseed oil is packed with polyunsaturated fats, which studies have shown helps lower cholesterol. It has a mild, neutral flavor like canola oil and has a hight smoke point, which means it can be used at higher temperatures unlike olive oil. Studies have even shown that the antioxidants in grapeseed oil even help prevent against certain cancers and heart disease. So on my last shopping trip, I picked up a bottle, which was about the same price as the Canola Oil I usually buy, and tried it out on these pork cutlets. They were very good and had a light, refreshing flavor. It was hard to tell a taste difference with the coconut and lime flavors but the breading browned nicely and the oil wasn't burning, causing that smokey flavor an oil sometimes gets if left on the heat for too long. So thank you Lauren for the great tip and I can't wait to try it out in salads as well!

Trim any fat from the pork chops then cut horizontally into 1/4" thick slices (approximately 2 per chop depending on the thickness) then pound to thin out using a meal mallet so that they are uniform in size. Prepare three separate bowls. One for the flour. The second, combine the eggs, milk and lime juice. And the third, combine the breadcrumbs with the coconut. First dip the meat into the flour, then the egg mixture, then into the coconut breadcrumb mixture. Heat a large saute pan with approximately 1/4"-1/2" oil until it is very hot. Gently add the cutlets, browning on each side until they are cooked through and golden. Drain meat on paper towels to remove excess oil then serve. Makes 8-10 cutlets.